Better Brother
by BubblyShell22
Summary: Raphael stared at his unconscious brother. "If you wake up, I'll be a better brother to you, Leo," he said. "I promise."
1. Chapter 1

Better Brother

Chapter 1: Promise

A/N: Here's another story I just had to do after it arrived in my head. This story will be a Leo and Raph brotherly story about how their relationship changes after the Kraang invasion and Leo's ambush. I always like exploring their relationship, so I just HAD to do this. I'm not sure how long it'll be, but it'll mostly be when they're at the farmhouse. I hope you all enjoy it.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot.

Summary: Raphael stared at his unconscious brother. "If you wake up, I'll be a better brother to you, Leo," he said. "I promise."

Raphael sighed as he kept vigil over his brother. Leo had been out for months now, and it was looking less and less likely that he'd ever wake up. How could this have happened to them? Leo was the strongest Turtle Raph knew, and yet he'd been taken down by Shredder's army in one fell swoop. Granted, Raph was sure Leo hadn't gone down without a fight, but it still sucked to know that the brother you looked up to had been defeated. It was like being promised a treat and then being let down after your dad tells you that you can't have it because you've been bad again.

The water in the tub dripped slowly, and Raph thought it was annoying. They had to keep it like that though so that Leo would stay hydrated.

Raphael stared at his unconscious brother, hoping that he'd open his eyes. "Come on, Leo, wake up," he begged. "Just give me a sign that you're okay. Look, if this is karma's way of punishin' me for bein' a shitty brother, then I get it. I know I haven't been fair to you at times and I've been mean. If you wake up, I'll be a better brother to you, Leo. I promise."

He waited for the words to do the trick, but Leo didn't wake up. With a sigh, Raph focused on something else, until he heard a moan. At first he thought he was dreaming, but then he heard it again and turned to the bathtub. Leo was staring at him, his blue eyes filled with confusion which turned to happiness.

"Leo?" Raph gasped.

"Hey, Raph," Leo replied.

Raph couldn't believe it! Leo was awake! He turned and called the others up to the room and then turned to Leo. "It's gonna be okay, Leo," he promised. "Everything's gonna be okay. We're here."

"I know," Leo whispered.

Raph smiled as the others came up and rejoiced in Leo's return. They brought him downstairs and filled him in on what had gone on since the Kraang invasion. Leo was shocked that he'd been out so long. Raph then declared that he and Leo were going to do some training the next day to get Leo back on his feet. Raph had already made his promise to be a better brother to Leo, and he was going to keep it.

22222

Leo was sitting on the couch watching TV when Raph came in.

"Hey, Leo, you wanna go in the woods for a bit?" he asked. "I figured we could make up for that session that didn't go so well."

"Yeah, I think that would be good," Leo said. "Sorry that I ended up getting sick."

Raph clapped his brother on his shoulder. "Don't sweat it, bro," he said. "You couldn't help it."

Leo gingerly got up and limped after his brother. It was nice to be back and not unconscious. Things had definitely changed, and Leo noticed a big change in Raph. He thought maybe Raph would be angry and surly, but he was surprisingly calm and gentle. He was very attentive to Leo, and though Leo tried his best to let Raph know he could do things on his own, he still appreciated the gesture.

They walked through the woods and marveled at everything that was there. They had never experienced anything like that before since they'd grown up in a city.

"So how are you feelin'?" Raph asked him.

"I'm still sore, but that's going to be present for a while," Leo answered. "How are you doing?"

"Fine," Raph answered.

"Have you been making up for all of the lost sleep?"

"Yeah, I have."

"You didn't have to do that, you know."

"I know, Leo, but I wanted to do it for you. You're my brother, and I meant what I said in the bathroom."

"You mean when you promised you'd be a better brother?" Leo asked him.

Raph looked shocked. "You heard that?"

Leo nodded. "Of course I did. I heard everything you guys said. That's what motivated me to come back."

"Well, I meant it, Leo. I'm gonna do better and not go off on you like I used to."

"I appreciate that, Raph, but you don't have to promise to be a better brother. You're already a good brother to me."

"I know that, but I have been mean to you. I want to make up for all of it, especially all the stuff I said to Spike about you. It wasn't right."

"You were just angry, Raph. I've had angry thoughts about you, too. It's only natural, and once the anger fades, you forget about them and remember how much the one you're angry at means a lot to you."

"Care to share those angry thoughts with me?"

"Nah. I don't want to ruin this brotherly bonding time."

Raph laughed. "Yeah, I can see that. Okay, we're at the stream now. You ready to cross it?"

"I think so," Leo replied.

"Okay, I'll go first and then you can come behind me," said Raph. He started jumping the rocks like a pro.

Leo sighed and made to step on the first one, but then an image materialized of him falling down a snow slope and falling into icy water. The water chilled him, and he remembered coming up, gasping for air and the fear that he'd almost drowned. That fear took hold of him again, and he began backing away from the water.

"Leo, c'mon," Raph urged. "Just jump over the water."

Leo frantically shook his head and kept backing away until he tripped over a root and sat down on his behind.

Raph hurried to Leo's side. "Leo, what's wrong?" he asked gently. "Why can't you cross the stream?"

"I can't," he whimpered. "I just can't."

"Okay, but why?"

"Ambush," Leo whispered.

Suddenly, it clicked into place for Raph. "Oh, bro, I'm so sorry," he soothed. "Okay, we don't have to cross it then. Let's get you back." He helped Leo up and put his arm around his shivering brother.

Leo leaned against his brother and walked with him back to the farmhouse. He was still shaking, and Raph helped him upstairs and into bed where he tucked the covers around him. Then he lay next to Leo and began stroking his shell and soothing him that everything was going to be okay. Leo focused on his brother's soothing voice until he fell asleep.

22222

After Leo was asleep, Raph went back downstairs where everyone was gathered around the television watching Mikey's favorite show.

"Dude, what happened out there?" Mikey asked. "Did you scare Leo to death or somethin'?"

"We were gonna cross the stream, but Leo got scared," Raph answered. "I asked him why he didn't wanna cross, and he said, 'Ambush.'"

"So what does that mean?" Casey asked.

"It means that Leo was remembering something from the attack," Don answered. "He must have had something happen to him that involved water."

"Do you think Shredder tried to drown him like he did Master Splinter?" April asked.

"I don't know," Don replied. "But it obviously still haunts him."

"So what can we do?" Mikey asked. "Should we ask him about it?"

"I don't think we should do anything," Raph said. "Leo will tell us when the time is right. We should just leave him be and just be there for him when he needs us. If we push him, it might hurt him more."

"Raph's right," said Don. "We can't push Leo too hard. We have to let him go at his own pace."

"Yeah, but it still sucks," Mikey lamented.

"I know, Mikey, but there's nothing we can do," Raph told him.

Everyone nodded as they continued to watch TV. Mikey made lunch and Raph took some up to Leo, who was awake and who ate just fine.

"Are you okay, bro?" Raph asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine now," Leo answered. "Sorry about that little freak out back there. I swear, I'm hopeless, aren't I?"

"No, you're not," Raph insisted. "You just had a scare, that's all."

"But it never should have happened. First I get sick, and now I freak out over water of all things."

Raph put his hand on Leo's shoulder. "Look, Leo, you couldn't help it. I know some things happened to you when you were attacked, so don't worry about it. I probably would have freaked out, too, if I'd been you. And you don't have to say anything about what happened if you don't want to. None of us want to dredge up bad memories for you."

At first, Leo didn't answer, but then he said, "I fell down a slope."

"Leo, don't," Raph said. "Don't torture yourself like this."

"I fell down a slope into some icy water. I almost drowned, and that's why I got scared."

"Oh, I see. Well, I promise I won't have you go into water then. You don't have to cross that stream until you're ready for it, okay? We'll just take regular walks after I train with the others, okay?"

"Okay," Leo said.

"Good. Now let's go down and watch some TV. Everyone's been worried about you."

Leo nodded and followed his brother downstairs. The others greeted him warmly, and he settled down next to Raph.

Raph put his arm around Leo and pulled him close, not wanting to let him go. He smiled as he and the others let the mindless show swirl around them as they watched Crognard and his team fight different enemies. He nudged his brother. "Kind of reminds you of Space Heroes, doesn't it?"

Leo laughed. "Yeah, it does. I wonder what it would be like for Captain Ryan to deal with Crognard?"

Raph shrugged. "I don't know, but I think it would be hilarious. But I think if your captain tried to slap him, I think Crognard would have a thing or two to say with that sword of his."

"I bet he would," Leo agreed.

Then they lapsed into silence and continued watching the episodes. Raph was glad Leo was okay, and he was determined to make sure Leo had good memories instead of the bad ones. He didn't need to dwell on the attack and needed to focus on getting better. That was another promise Raph intended to keep. They would get their leader back and go back to New York stronger than ever.

A/N: And that's the end of the first chapter. I know how the second chapter's going to go, so I may have that up soon, though I'm not sure how soon. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Hurtful Words

A/N: So here's the next chapter in this little saga. I really hope that you all enjoy it though there's going to be a bit of a fight here. Thanks to those who have read and reviewed so far. It means a lot to me that you're enjoying this story.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

"Raph, watch your form!" Leo chastised. "You're getting sloppy!"

Raph glared at his brother. Who was he to tell him anything? Just because he was hurt and couldn't train with them didn't make him Master Splinter. With a growl, Raph continued to spar with Mikey and tried to work on his form, though all he could think about was how he wanted to punch Leo in the face.

"C'mon, Raph, you can do better than that," Mikey taunted.

Okay, so Mikey wasn't making tings any better. He punched at his brother, but Mikey dodged it, sticking his tongue out.

"Raph, what's wrong with you?" Leo demanded. "You know you're better than that. Focus!"

That was it. Raph had had enough. He turned and marched over to his blue-banded brother. "Will you just shut the hell up?" he snarled. "Who are you to tell me how to do my form? Who are you to be barkin' all these orders? If you're so smug, why don't YOU go out there and show me how it's done? Oh, wait, you can't because you've got a bum leg thanks to your stupidity of leading the Kraang away from everybody!"

Everyone gave a gasp at these words, but Raph ignored them. His eyes were trained on Leo for his reaction. He saw his brother's eyes go wide and fill with a pain he'd never seen before. He waited for Leo to start screaming back at him like he usually did during their fights, but not a word crossed Leo's lips. Instead, he turned and limped toward the woods.

"Leo, wait!" Raph cried. He wanted to run after his brother and apologize for the words that had tumbled out of his mouth, but he knew Leo wouldn't want that right now. And as he thought of this, he also remembered his promise to be a better brother to Leo. Well, he'd broken that one already.

"Way to go, Raph!" Casey chastised. "What the hell were you thinkin'?"

"I didn't mean it, man," Raph protested. "I just got mad."

"That's no excuse," April said. "You never should have said that."

"Should we go after him?" Mikey asked, staring at where Leo had taken off to.

"No, not right now," Don said gently. "Just give him some space. One of us can check on him in an hour or so."

Raph wanted to be the one to do that, but he knew Leo probably wouldn't go for it, so he retreated to the room they shared and flopped on the bed. Man, this was just the worst day ever. He really thought he'd been getting better at the whole temper thing, but now that had been broken, too. When was he going to learn?

22222

Leo limped along in the woods until he came to a rock that sat next to the stream. He sat down on the rock and let the tears fall. How could Raph have said such a thing? Did he really feel that way about what happened to him? Did he think it was some reckless act Leo had done just to get in Splinter's good graces? It hadn't been like that at all. In fact, it had been a desperate plan to protect his brothers from the Kraang as they were attacking, but he'd ended up getting attacked anyway. Sure, it was stupid, but what had been the alternative?

He wasn't sure how much time had passed before he heard footsteps. He expected it to be Raph, but when he turned, he saw it was Mikey who was next to him.

"Hey, Leo, you okay?" he asked gently.

"Not particularly," Leo answered, sniffing a little.

"Dude, that was not cool what Raph said," Mikey said. "Everyone gave him an earful for it if it makes you feel better."

"It doesn't," he said softly. "I really thought things were going great between us. What changed?"

"Raph got mad," Mikey answered. "You know how he gets when he loses his temper."

"Yeah, but why now? Has he always felt this way about what happened to me? Was he secretly glad I was almost killed?"

Mikey's blue eyes widened at the implication. "No way, dude!" he gasped. "Raph would never think somethin' like that no matter how mad he gets. He was just upset that you were criticizing him. You know he gets like that when someone points out he's doin' somethin' wrong."

"He still shouldn't have said that!" snapped Leo. "Maybe he wants to be leader and he's mad that I'm back on the team."

"He's not, Leo. He's happy you're back. You should have seen him when you were out. He was scared, and Raph hardly ever gets scared. Well, except when there's cockroaches or some other bug around. Then he screams like a little girl." He laughed a little at the image in his head and then turned serious again. "He spent so much time at your side, bro. When he did sleep, he had nightmares that you were dead and would run into the bathroom to makes sure you were alive. I heard him, and it scared me to see him like that. I was afraid that if we lost you, we'd lose Raph, too. You guys are so close and a part of each other. If one of you goes down, the other would go down, too."

Leo was taken aback by what Mikey said, and yet it made sense. He remembered how he'd stayed by Raph's side after The Creep turned him into a plant. Leo had thought he was returning the favor and had images in his head of what could have happened if Donnie hadn't reversed the mutation. When Raph woke up and found out what Leo had done, he'd been really grateful for it, thanking Leo and telling him he was glad he had him for a brother. But was that a lie now? Did Raph really feel that way, or did he still harbor some resentment for Leo being chosen as leader?

"Dude, you gotta see that Raph loves you," Mikey said. "He doesn't want to see you get hurt again. Maybe you could just talk to him about it and explain what you were trying to do. I think if you do that, maybe it'll work out."

Leo sighed. "You're right, Mikey," he said. "I guess I could talk to him about it if he'll let me." He let Mikey help him up and guide him back to the farmhouse. Raph was in the kitchen, but Leo was tired and not in the mood to talk right at that moment, so he went upstairs. As he did, he saw a note on the nightstand that separated his bed from Raph's. Curious, he picked it up and unfolded it.

_Leo,_

_Sorry I blew up at you. I know it wasn't your fault. I guess I broke my promise. We'll talk later. _

_Your bro, _

_Raph_

Leo was touched by the letter, and he knew this was Raph's way of saying that he messed up. He grabbed his journal he'd been keeping since he'd woken up and tore a piece of paper out of it. Then he wrote a reply and left it on Raph's side of the nightstand before settling into bed and falling asleep.

22222

Raph came upstairs and saw that Leo was in bed. Raph wanted to wake him up, but he knew Leo needed to sleep so he could heal. He saw a note on the nightstand and opened it up to see what Leo had written.

_Raph, _

_I'm sorry, too. I guess we both broke our promises to each other. Talk to you later. _

_Your bro, _

_Leo_

Raph smiled. Even though the note was short, it meant a lot to Raph that Leo was sorry, too. Maybe they could hash this out on one of their walks together. He let Leo rest and went back downstairs to hang out with the others.

22222

When Leo woke up, he felt better than he had before. He got out of bed and went downstairs to seek out Raph who was watching TV with the others.

"Hey, Raph, you ready for another walk?" Leo asked him.

"Sure," Raph replied.

"Are you sure we should let them go alone?" Don asked. "They might kill each other."

Raph snorted. "You worry too much, Donnie. We'll be fine, and we need to talk anyway. We'll be back soon."

The others nodded as Leo and Raph left the house and went to the rock to talk. It was big enough that both brothers could fit on it.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Raph asked him.

Leo punched his shoulder. "You're the one who wanted to talk," he retorted. "You tell me."

"Okay, I'm sorry for what I said. I don't know what came over me, and it was a stupid and mean thing to say. I really thought I was doing great with the whole temper thing, but for some reason, that old feeling kept bubbling up until I couldn't take it anymore and lashed out. I know it doesn't excuse what I did, but that's the truth of it."

"I know, Raph, and I'm sorry, too. I never should have been so harsh with you about your form. I was just being an idiot about the whole thing instead of just relaxing. It's just that with everything that's happened, I worry about you guys. I don't want what happened to me to happen to any of you. So I may come off like a jerk, but I'm just trying to prepare you and protect you."

Raph put his arm around his brother. "I get that, Leo. I'm the same way. I don't want you to get attacked again, and I'm gonna make sure it won't happen again. I've got your back, bro."

"I hear that. Mikey said the same thing when he talked to me."

"I figured Mikey would talk to you. The kid just can't let things be."

"Yeah, but he has a point. Look, if you start to feel that temper bubbling up again, just close your eyes and take some deep breaths. It should help you to control your temper and to calm down."

"Okay, I'll do that. And if you start to feel the urge to get bossy, just remember that I can kick your shell any time, and it'll help you to stay in line."

Leo laughed at his brother's joke. "Okay, duly noted. So, are we cool?"

"We're totally cool, man," Raph answered as he fist bumped Leo.

"I never realized how peaceful it is up here," Leo noted. "Hey, look!" He pointed to where a mother duck and her ducklings were waddling toward the stream.

Raph looked and silently counted the babies. "Wow, she's got eight kids. Must be a handful, and I don't see a dad around."

"Maybe he's standing guard at the nest," Leo predicted.

"Yeah, that could be, or he's no longer in the picture." Then Raph sighed. "Do you really think Sensei's okay?"

"I don't know, but I can't think of the possibility that he's not. If I do, I'll just go mad, and I've got enough to think about without worrying about that. It's not that I don't think of him, but I just don't want to worry about it too much, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," Raph said softly. "I have nightmares about it. It was so horrible seein' him go down that drain and how I wasn't able to help him."

"I wish I had been there, too," Leo whispered. "I know there wouldn't have been anything I could have done, but I feel guilty about the whole thing"

"Don't be, bro. It wasn't your fault. Let's just concentrate on getting you better and then we'll worry about other stuff, okay? I know that's what Sensei would want."

"You're right, Raph, but I just have a feeling I won't ever be the same again."

"Yes, you will, Leo. You're a fighter. You can't just give up like that!"

"I'm not giving up, Raph, but there's still the possibility that I may not be the same. I don't know what's wrong with my knee or how bad the damage is. Even Donnie doesn't know what's wrong with me and can only give me a guess. If we were at the Lair, he could X-Ray my knee and give me a definitive answer, but we don't have that equipment here. Not to mention my mental state. I'm still having nightmares about what happened, which means I'm not ready to face it yet. So there's still a lot of healing for me to do."

"We'll help you, bro. Just give it time. I promise that I'm gonna do all I can to make you feel better and get you back to where you need to be."

"I know you will, Raph, and I'll do my best to follow through with it. But we can't escape the fact that there might be a chance that I may not heal from this. I'll do my best though, okay?"

"That's all I ask, Leo."

"Good. Now let's head back." He let Raph help him up and walked with him to the farmhouse. As he walked beside his brother, he couldn't help but think about everything that had been said. It was nice that they had made up, but Leo still couldn't keep the nagging worry that he wasn't going to get better out of his head. He knew he shouldn't feel that way, but he really had no choice but to face that reality. He decided it was best not to dwell on it now and just enjoyed Raph's mindless chatter about a wrestling event that was coming up that he hoped they'd get to see on TV. As long as he had his family by his side, he could do anything, even if it meant sacrificing himself for them. He wasn't going to let Shredder win.

A/N: And that's the end of another chapter. I really enjoyed writing it and hope that you enjoyed reading it. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Shared Hatred

A/N: And here's chapter three. There's not much for me to say except to thank everyone for the reviews so far. They mean a lot to me, and I'm happy you're enjoying this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and that's it.

Leo sat bolt upright in bed. He'd just finished having another nightmare, and it scared him again. Why was this happening to him? Why couldn't he have a normal night's sleep without dreaming about the attack? He really hated Shredder for doing this to him. It just wasn't fair.

"Leo, are you okay?" Raph asked, hurrying to his side.

"No!" Leo snapped. "I had the dream again!"

"Okay, calm down, bro," Raph soothed, rubbing his hand on Leo's shell. "It was just a dream. It wasn't real."

"But it was real, Raph! I keep dreaming about what happened to me in New York. The only difference this time was that you were there and you didn't help me. You just watched it happen."

"You know I'd never do that, bro," Raph said. "I would have helped you if I had been there."

"But you weren't there, were you?" Leo retorted. "You were off with Casey fooling around."

"Hey, we were lookin' for Karai like you asked us to!" protested Raph. "Don't blame me for what happened to you!"

"Then who should I blame, Raph?"

"Shredder, that's who!" Raph answered. "He's the one who chose to attack you, not any of us! Stop getting mad at other people who had no control over what happened to you."

Leo closed his eyes and tried to take deep breaths. "What's wrong with me, Raph? It's like I'm coming apart!"

"You're not, Leo. You're just scared about this, and I understand that. Hey, remember that episode of your show?"

"Which one?" Leo asked.

"The one where Captain What's-His-Face had that nightmare. You remember what he did to stop it?"

"It's Captain Ryan, Raph, and I do remember. He summoned memories of his greatest victories and it helped him get through it."

"Then maybe you need to do the same thing. Just think of us and some of the cool times we have. Think about Space Heroes and how much you love the show. Maybe it'll help you out when you're scared."

"I guess I could give it a try," Leo mused.

"Great. Are you ready to go to sleep?"

"Yeah. We have training in the morning, so we have to rest up."

"Okay. You want me to stay here, or are you good to sleep alone?"

"You can stay if you want to."

Raph nodded and settled down next to his brother, stroking his shell with soothing circles. It was something they had done for each other when one of them had a nightmare, and it was something Splinter had done, too. Leo sighed and let the feeling wash over him as he settled down and drifted off to sleep, his dreams much better than the nightmare he had faced.

22222

Raph really hated Shredder. This was the thought he had as he walked with Leo in the woods. These walks were a regular occurrence since Leo couldn't train with the others at the moment. It made Leo feel left out, even though Raph had caught him trying to do katas by himself once. Raph had nearly hit Leo upside the head for being so stupid, but Leo had protested that he had to adapt to his injury and try to fight. Donnie had given him a stern lecture about injuring his knee further that put one of Leo's usual lectures to shame, much to Raph's amusement. Leo had bowed his head in shame and apologized for his error in judgment. But Raph could see that not training had taken a toll on Leo both physically and mentally. Usually, Leo was the type to train more than the others because he loved it and saw it as a fun exercise, but with his injury, he was to be seen sitting on the couch most of the time or sleeping in bed when he wasn't taking these walks with Raph. Mentally, Leo was always alert and ready for anything that came his way, but after the attack, his reflexes were slower. That had been proven when Mikey had snuck up on him, and Leo had been so scared, he'd fallen backwards and backed up in fear. They had been confused about it until Leo told Raph that Shredder had snuck up behind him and slashed him with his gauntlet. Mikey had apologized, and it was a rule that they couldn't sneak up on their brother anymore, even in fun.

Then there was the time that Raph had wanted to teach Donnie and Mikey about Turtle Hunt. He and Leo had played the game many times, and Raph had wanted the chance for Leo to help out, but he was too injured to even do that. Raph could tell it hurt Leo that he couldn't even have that much fun with his brothers because of his injury and that he had to constantly stay on the sidelines. This was why Raph hated Shredder. He had changed Leo and had hurt him both physically and mentally. Raph longed for the day when he'd be able to teach Shredder a lesson about messing with his brother.

"Are you okay, Raph?" Leo asked, glancing at his brother in concern. "You look like you want to hit something."

"I do," Raph answered. "I wanna hit Shredder's ugly face."

"Ah, I see. Is that what you've been thinking about?"

"Yeah, I've been thinkin' about what he did to you and how it's changed you. You can't do the things you used to do, and I know it hurts you. You couldn't even do a simple game of Turtle Hunt because of your knee, and you were really bummed about it."

"I know, but I found my own way to amuse myself."

"What did you do?"

"Watched a marathon of The Real Housewives of New Jersey with April," Leo replied. "I tell you, those twins are crazy, and Amber's husband is an asshole."

"Did you watch it because Splinter watches it?"

Leo laughed. "Yeah, and I figured once we go back, I could fill him in on what's going on."

"I bet he'll get a kick out of that." Then his face darkened. "I just hate Shredder, you know? He really needs to pay for what he did to you."

"Sometimes revenge isn't the answer, Raph," Leo said softly.

Raph gaped at him. "Are you serious, Leo? Don't you wanna pay him back for what he did to you?"

"That's not our objective, Raph. Our objective will be to find Sensei and to stop the Kraang. Then we can focus on Shredder."

"But if we get to Shredder first, do you want your revenge?"

"I don't know. I don't want to stoop to his level. He spent all his life resenting Sensei and that led to him killing an innocent woman. I don't want to do the same thing."

"You mean you'd rather he live and get away with what he did to you?"

"No, I just don't want any innocent people to get hurt, Raph. That can happen, you know. You guys could go down with me if I make that choice. It can't be a rash thing."

"Do you hate him as much as I do?"

"I hate what he did to me and what his motivation was for doing it. It's all about getting back at Splinter, and I think that's the worst thing about it. He's just a troubled man who really needs to look at what his hatred has cost him. I don't hate him personally for anything because I can't dwell on that. I have to focus on you guys, and that's what I'm going to do."

"Well, I hate him!" Raph spat. "If I get the chance, he's goin' down!"

"Careful with that anger, Raph," warned Leo. "You don't want to end up like Shredder and be consumed with hate all of your life."

"If I beat him, I won't have to be consumed by it," retorted Raph. "He'll be dead, and our lives will go on as always."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Raph. The Foot still have servants who could take over like Tiger Claw or Rahzar. They'd still continue on, and the war would never end. It could even get worse for us."

"I'm not afraid of that," Raph boasted, bringing out his sais and twirling them. "Bring it on!"

Leo sighed. "I guess there's no changing you, is there, Raph?"

"Look, when it comes to my family, no one messes with us. I'll go down if I have to, but I won't stop protectin' you or any of the others."

"I appreciate that, Raph. I just want you to be careful about it and not be rash, okay? We don't need anyone else to get hurt."

"I'll try my best, Leo," Raph said. It was all he could say.

"That's all I ask," Leo said. 'I think it's time to head back again. My knee's telling me it's had enough for one day."

Raph nodded and helped Leo back to the house. He even got him some ice for his knee and helped to set it there. He knew what Leo said was true, but Raph couldn't help but hate Shredder for what had happened to them, and he was determined to make sure Shredder paid for everything he'd ever done to their family.

22222

"Hey, Leo, I've got an awesome idea," Mikey said. "Why don't we have a dance contest?"

"I can't dance, remember?" Leo reminded him.

"Have you even tried it?" Mikey asked him.

"No, but I don't think I'm up for it."

"You'll never know unless you try, bro. C'mon, it'll be fun. You haven't done much since you've woken up, and it'll be good exercise for you."

Leo sighed. "Okay, I guess I could try."

"Sweet!" Mikey cheered. "Dance contest it is!"

"You know I'm gonna beat your ass, right, Mikey?" Raph boasted.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Mikey retorted. "C'mon, bros. Let's do this!"

April turned on the radio that was in the living room and tried to find music that would be perfect for the dance contest. A few stations were just news stations, but then she found something that played a variety of music and figured that would work. The first song was a slow one, but then "Blurred Lines" came on and Mikey jumped up.

"Aww yeah, this is my jaaam!" he said as he began to dance to the music. He even did some twerking which caused everyone to burst out laughing. "Aw yeah, son. Like a Turtle do! Beat that!"

"I think I can do that," Casey bragged as Michael Jackson's "Beat It" came on next. Casey totally owned the song, even doing a moonwalk which impressed April though Donnie made a show of rolling his eyes.

"Sweet moves, Case," Raph commented. "Hey, Leo, you wanna try next?"

"I guess I could," Leo said.

"Sweet! They're doing Taylor Swift after the commercial break so you can totally nail that song," Mikey said.

After the commercial was over, Leo went out there and tried to dance to Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" a song he really enjoyed, too. At first, he was doing great, but then his crutch caught in a floorboard, causing him to topple over. Luckily Raph made the save before Leo could hit the ground.

"Sorry guys," Leo said dejectedly. "I guess I'm not up for dancing either."

"Yes, you are," Raph said. "I'll help you bro. C'mon." He helped Leo out to the floor and with his arm around his brother he began dancing to the rest of the song. Leo copied him as best he could, and it turned out that he really was having fun. Raph ended it with dipping Leo down as the song came to an end.

"Bros, that was awesome!" Mikey said. "You guys rock!"

"Definitely was a good routine," Don said. "You could go on Dancing with the Stars if they let mutants on there."

"Thanks," Leo said. "And thanks for helping out, Raph."

"That's what brothers are for," Raph said.

After another love song, Don got out there and danced to "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees, complete with disco moves and everything. April countered that by dancing to "One Less Problem" by Ariana Grande while Raph danced solo to "Can't Touch This" by M.C. Hammer.

"Okay, so who calls winner?" Mikey asked.

"I definitely vote for Leo and Raph," Don said. "They were great."

"Me too," April added.

"Everyone else agree?" Mikey asked.

"Yep," Casey, Raph, and Leo said.

"Okay, you guys are the winners!"

"So what do we win?" Leo asked.

"You get off of cleaning duty for a week," Mikey said.

"I think we can handle that," Raph said. "That was fun."

"Oh, it's not over yet. I think we need to do a group number."

"Love Shack" by the B-52's came on, and suddenly everyone was on the floor and made up a group dance to the song. It was a lot of fun, and Leo was happy that he could finally participate in something with everyone else. He no longer felt upset, and while he still hated what had happened to him, he knew he could rise above it and get past it as long as he had the support of his family.

A/N: And that's the end of another chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Not sure when the next chapter will be up or what it'll be about, but I'll think of something. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Stormy Weather

A/N: So here's the next chapter in this saga. This one came to me because we're going to get storms in my neck of the woods today and tomorrow, so I thought it would be neat to have it happen at the farmhouse, too. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed thus far. It means a lot to me that you're enjoying this story and I hope you continue to enjoy it.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

Leo winced as he knee twinged again. He hated being in pain, but according to Donnie, they were supposed to get thunderstorms in the area, and he figured that Leo's knee was acting up because of that. They had just finished a training session because Raph wanted to get it out of the way before the storms hit. Leo was sitting on the couch, and Raph was in the kitchen getting ice for his knee. Don was in the lab, wanting to get some work done before the storms hit, and Mikey was with Leo, watching TV. April and Casey were at the store to stock up on supplies that they'd need during the weather.

"Here you go, Leo," Raph said as he put ice on his brother's knee.

"Thanks, Raph," Leo said. "I really hate this, you know?"

"I totally know," Raph answered. "I'm surprised you haven't flipped over a table yet."

"No, that's your thing, remember?" Leo teased.

"Guys, do you think we'll get any tornadoes out here?" Mikey asked fearfully. Mikey had always had a fear of thunderstorms and tornadoes.

"I don't know, Mikey, but we'll be safe," Leo reassured him. "Now that we know where the basement is, we'll just take cover in there."

"But that's where the Kraang ship is!" Mikey protested. "Do you really think we should be down there?"

"It's the safest place for us, so that's what we have to do," Donnie replied as he came in from the barn. "You always have to go to the lowest level of a house. In the sewers, we didn't have to worry about that because we were always safe."

"You could also go into a bathroom," Mikey suggested.

"Yes, but you'd be safer in the basement," Don reminded him. "Don't worry, Mikey, we'll all be there with you. Nothing is going to happen."

Raph rolled his eyes. "Fraidy cat," he muttered.

"Hey, you used to be scared of storms too," Leo reminded him.

"We all were," Don said. "Remember when we'd cuddle up to Master Splinter when we were little whenever it would thunder? He'd always comfort us and tell us there was nothing to be afraid of."

The others grew quiet as they remembered their early years and how Splinter would reassure them that they were safe as he put their arms around them. They wished he was there now and would do the same thing because they really needed it. Leo reached out and pulled Mikey close, and the others piled on, putting their arms around each other just as Splinter used to do. It gave them comfort and made them feel better. They parted and smiled at each other.

"Thanks, guys," Mikey said softly.

"No problem," Leo answered.

April and Casey arrived in record time and put away some of the supplies. April put the emergency kit downstairs so they would have it if they needed it. Then they sat down and waited to see when the storms would hit.

Soon they heard the distant rumble of thunder. They kept the TV on so that they'd know if there were any severe thunderstorm warnings in their area. Sure enough, the TV broke in for a weather bulletin as the meteorologist showed the storms that were heading their way.

"Dude, those look bad," Casey commented.

"Should we go downstairs now?" Mikey asked.

"Not until they declare a warning for our area," April replied. "That hasn't happened yet."

The meteorologist kept on talking about the storms and then issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the entire viewing area.

"I'm outta here!" Mikey yelled as he made for the basement. He threw open the door and ran downstairs at a fast clip.

"Man, that didn't take long," Raph commented.

"We'd better seek shelter now," Don said.

Leo got up and gingerly made his way to the basement area. Raph was behind him and held him steady as he made his way down the stairs. Mikey was huddled in the corner, trembling. Leo went over to him and slowly sat down next to him.

"Don't be scared, Mikey," Leo soothed. "We're all here now."

"I hate storms," Mikey whimpered.

"I know you do. I hate them, too."

"Why do you hate them?"

"Because they make my knee hurt," Leo answered.

"Well, here's the ice so you won't have to worry," Raph said, giving it to his brother.

"Wait! What about Ice Cream Kitty? We can't leave her up there!" Mikey dashed up the stairs before anyone could stop him and came back down with the small cooler containing the mutated cat.

"I think she would have been fine, Mikey," Raph said.

"No she wouldn't," Mikey insisted.

Soon the storm arrived at full force. The wind howled, the lighting was fierce, and the thunder was loud. Mikey kept whimpering while simultaneously comforting Ice Cream Kitty that everything would be okay. Leo had his arm around his little brother and was rubbing his shell in soothing circles while whispering comforting words. Raph had his hand on Leo's shoulder and Donnie was trying to hold April's hand, but Casey kept making that difficult.

When the storm had passed, Don was the first to go up and check to make sure it was all clear and then he called for everyone to come up. Mikey was relieved and immediately went upstairs to put Ice Cream Kitty back where she belonged.

"We made it through, Kitty," he declared. "I knew we would."

"Are you okay now, Mikey?" Leo asked him.

"Yeah, I'm good as long as we don't have any more storms."

"Are you holdin' up okay, Leo?" Raph asked his brother.

"I'll be fine," Leo reassured him. "I just need to rest my knee."

"I'll get you some medicine," Raph said and came back with some Advil for the pain. He wasn't sure if it would work, but it was worth a shot.

Leo took the medicine and settled into bed with the ice on his knee. He really hated being hurt, but there wasn't much he could do about it now.

"Just rest, Leo," Raph said. "I'll check in on you later."

Leo nodded and closed his eyes, doing his best to ignore the stabbing pain in his knee. He imagined that Splinter was there, rubbing his knee and soothing his pain, just as he used to do when one of them got hurt. And although it made him sad to think about that, it also comforted him and helped him to sleep.

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The thunder rumbled as a thunderstorm made its way through the area that night. It wasn't going to be a severe one, so nobody was worried about that. But for some reason, Raph couldn't sleep. He got out of bed and went to the window and watched as the lightning flashed. It lit up the night before sinking everything into darkness once more as the thunder rumbled. Raph never hated storms and always felt he was a part of it himself. He had a stormy temper and often equated that maybe the storm had been born in him when he was mutated. He kept on watching the storm pass by until he heard Leo stir in bed.

"Raph, are you okay?" his brother asked him.

"I'm fine, Leo," Raph reassured him. "I just couldn't sleep."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. I'm just havin' a hard time with it, I guess. Go back to sleep, bro. You need your rest."

But Leo didn't listen and got up to stand beside his brother. "It's definitely different from when we lived in the sewers, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is. We couldn't really see it unless we were by the sewer grates or that skylight in the dojo. I remember how scared you looked and how you always were pretending to be brave for us."

Leo laughed. "You did that, too, you know."

"Yeah, but you couldn't hide it so well," Raph reminded him.

"I guess not. I guess I'm not so fearless after all."

"We all have fears, Leo. But the thing about you is that you do your best to face them."

"I don't know if I can face this one though," he whispered.

"You will, and we'll be with you when you do. I'll make sure you're not alone, okay?"

"Okay. So what have you been thinking about?"

"Just about the storm and my temper. I know I get out of control sometimes, and I don't mean to. I'm really sorry about what I said to you before."

"Raph, we worked that out," Leo reminded him. "You don't have to be sorry about it."

"I know, but it still eats at me," Raph said. "I don't think I can forgive myself for being that way to you."

"We get on each other's nerves, Raph. It's natural for us. Just talk about what you don't like about me."

"Well, I don't like how you nag me sometimes. I get upset because I keep thinkin' you're doin' it to show that you're better than me and that you know it all. But I like how you stick with things and how you do your best to always be the best you can be."

"I don't nag you to be superior to you. I do it to protect you. Maybe I should handle it better and word it better though so it doesn't come off that way."

"Okay, so what do you not like about me?"

"I don't like how you rush into things without a plan," Leo answered. "You're impulsive and that can sometimes lead to disaster. But I do like how you're passionate about protecting your family and how you use the fire inside of you to help with that. I don't like your temper and how you use it to be mean sometimes, but I like when you use it against our enemies. Does that make sense?"

Raph nodded. "It does, Leo. I definitely need to work on all of that, and I'll do my best to be better."

"Same here," Leo agreed. "That really wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Nope."

"Do you feel better now?"

"Definitely, and I think I can sleep now."

"Great. Let's get some sleep. We've got a big day in the morning."

Raph settled into bed, but for some reason, he didn't want to be by himself so he slipped into Leo's bed and Leo let him. The two brothers drifted off to sleep, happy that they'd settled their differences and opened up to each other. Sometimes it was a good thing to open up and not be so closed up all of the time. Raph vowed that he'd definitely work on things with Leo and make sure that his brother was safe at all times. That's what brothers were for.

A/N: That's the end of another chapter. The bit about the flaws was in response to a request by Andromakhe who asked if I could do something like that, so I did. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out because we're supposed to get storms here, but I'll try and have it up soon. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Fever

A/N: It's been a little while since I updated this one, but I felt I needed to do so. This chapter is done by request from yukio87 who wanted a chapter where Leo has a fever and Raph takes care of him. So here you go. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. It means a lot to me that you're enjoying this story.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

Leo woke up with his stomach hurting. At first, he didn't think much of it, but then the urge to throw up came over him, and he rushed out of bed to go to the bathroom. He made it just in time but barely. Why was this happening to him? He was fine earlier when he'd been watching TV with the others. How could he have gotten so sick so fast?

He heard footsteps as Raph cane into the room, his eyes filled with worry.

"Are you okay, Leo?" he asked.

"No," Leo answered. "I just got sick all of a sudden. How could this happen to me? I was fine before."

"I don't know, but you better get back to bed," Raph told him. He helped Leo to their room and tucked him into bed. He set the garbage can beside the bed ("So if you have to puke again, you don't have to rush to the bathroom.") and got a cold washcloth once he felt Leo's forehead and realized he was burning up.

"Thanks, Raph," Leo said. "I owe you one."

"No, you don't," said Raph. "I'm happy to do it."

"You say that now, but you won't be so happy later when you're tired."

"It's fine, Leo. I can handle it. Just get some rest, okay? Call me if you need anything."

Leo nodded and closed his eyes. He tried to block out the pain in his stomach, but it wouldn't go away no matter how hard he tried. Usually, he would lay on his right side to ease the pain, but because of his knee injury, that was impossible to do, so he had to lie on his left side. He got sick at least twice more before the night was over. Raph woke up and emptied the trash can after each time and washed it out then put it back. Leo was surprised Raph didn't grumble about it as he normally would have done. Raph just put the can back and patted Leo on the shoulder before going to bed again.

Leo's fever didn't break by morning. He felt worse, and he could tell Raph was getting worried. There were moments where he'd forget where he was and think he was being captured by the enemy. Usually, Raph would soothe him and reassure him that he was safe. Leo focused on Raph's voice, and it helped him to calm down so he wasn't acting hysterical. Don gave him some Tylenol, hoping that would break the fever. Leo really wanted all of this to end, but there was nothing he could do about it but wait. Raph stayed with him and made sure he was comfortable.

"You don't have to stay with me, Raph," Leo said. "Just go with the others."

"No, I want to stay," Raph declared. "You need me."

Leo wanted to say he didn't need Raph, but he was afraid that would hurt his brother's feelings. Raph had been so good to him since he'd woken up, and Leo didn't want to tarnish that by starting a fight, so he just smiled and thanked his brother as he had since he'd woken up. He definitely owed Raph big time no matter what Raph said.

Leo thought the fever would never go away, but suddenly he started sweating and wondered what was going on. "Raph, why am I sweating so much?"

"It means your fever broke, Leo," Raph answered. "That means you'll be okay."

Leo smiled and was happy to hear that. "I'm sorry I put you through all of this," he said. "It seems like that's all I've been doing lately."

Raph gave his brother a stern look. "Don't talk like that, Leo!" he said sternly. "I'm happy to help out. None of this is your fault, so knock it off, you hear me?"

"Okay, I will," Leo answered. "But now that I'm better, you can go down with the others."

"First you need to eat something," Raph said. "I'll go tell Mikey to make you some chicken noodle soup."

"That sounds good," Leo said. "Thanks, Raph."

Raph smiled and went downstairs. When he came back, he had a bowl of soup for Leo. Leo took the soup and slowly ate it a little at a time to make sure it would stay down, which it did. After he was done, Raph gave him some Gatorade to help him get a bit stronger. Leo was very happy that he was getting better. He hoped that in time he could resume training and go back to where he was before all of this had happened. With a tired sigh, he closed his eyes and fell asleep, knowing that was the best way to get better.

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Raph had just fallen asleep when he heard Leo get out of bed and start vomiting. Filled with alarm, Raph bolted out of bed and hurried to the bathroom to check on his brother.

"Are you okay, Leo?" he asked.

"No," Leo answered. "I got sick all of a sudden. How could this happen to me? I was fine before."

Raph knew Leo was right. He had been fine when they'd been watching TV. How could this suddenly happen? Well, it didn't matter how it happened. All that mattered was that Leo needed to rest. Raph escorted him to bed and tucked him in. He put the garbage can by Leo's bed and then felt his brother's forehead.

"Looks like you've got a fever, Leo," he noted. "I'm gonna get you a washcloth." He went to the bathroom and did just that. He set the washcloth on Leo's hot forehead and hoped that it would do the trick. Then he went back to bed and tried to sleep. Leo got sick twice more in the night, and Raph got up and emptied the trash can both times. Normally, he probably would have complained, but this wasn't the time for that, so he shut his mouth and just did what he had to do. Leo apologized for putting Raph through this, but Raph waved it away, saying that he wanted to help his brother out.

In the morning, the fever didn't break. Don gave Leo some Tylenol and there was nothing else left to do but wait. Raph stayed by Leo's side even though Leo insisted Raph go down and train with the others. Raph refused, saying that Leo needed him more. Leo slept for the rest of the morning, and Raph kept changing his washcloth whenever it would get too warm. There were times where Leo was delirious and didn't know where he was. Although that scared Raph, he remained calm and just soothed Leo and reassured him that everything was okay and that he was safe. Finally, Leo's fever broke, and Raph was so relieved. He had been afraid it would never break.

The red-clad Turtle ordered Mikey to make some chicken noodle soup and served it to Leo. Leo was happy that Raph was helping him and kept saying that he owed his brother for all he'd done for him.

"You don't owe me a thing, Leo," Raph said. "That's what brothers are for."

When Leo was strong enough to get out of bed, he and Raph resumed their walks in the woods. It felt good to be out in the fresh air, and Raph was thankful that Leo hadn't gotten worse. Don surmised it was just a stomach bug and that Leo would be fine from now on. Raph still kept a close eye on his brother and made sure that nothing else would happen to him. He was happy to do it and knew that it was the best way to make up for all of the times he'd been mean to his older brother. Leo meant the world to him, and Raph was going to make sure that nothing ever happened to him again.

A/N: So that's the end of that chapter. I have one more I want to do that was also done by request, so I hope to get that one up soon. Then after that, I don't know where I'll take the story, but I will continue it. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Falling Down

A/N: Here's the next chapter which is another request by yukio87. This time it's about Leo falling in the woods and Raph helping him out. I hope you enjoy it, yukio87. Thanks to those who have read and reviewed thus far. It means a lot to me.

Guest: Thanks for the requests, but I'm not doing any of that because I want this to focus on the farmhouse and their time there. I might do stuff after that though, especially if this Dark Raph arc plays out the way I want it to. Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

'Okay, Leo, time for another walk," Raph said.

"I don't think I'm up for it today," Leo told him.

"You have to try, Leo. You have to build up those muscles. You know Splinter would want you to do that. Let's go."

Leo reluctantly followed Raph through the woods. Raph could tell Leo definitely wasn't motivated today, but this wasn't the time to spoil him. Leo needed to get better so they could go back to the city and defeat the Kraang.

"You're doing great, Leo," Raph encouraged him. "You'll get better in no time."

"I don't know about that," Leo said doubtfully.

"Well, I do," Raph said. "Let's keep going."

Suddenly, Raph heard Leo cry out and turned to see his brother sprawled on the ground. He hurried to Leo's side. "What happened?"

"I tripped on that root right there," Leo answered.

"Okay, try to get up," Raph urged him.

Leo braced himself and tried to stand but sank back with a cry of pain. "I can't!" he moaned. "It hurts too much!"

Raph grew angry at Leo's words. "Is this really what I'm hearing right now?" he asked. "Is the great Fearless Leonardo lettin' a little pain stop him from getting to his feet? Do you really think Splinter would let you get away with this? No! He'd tell you to stop cryin' like a little baby and to suck it up and do it again. So stop with this baby shit and get up."

Leo tried once again, but he couldn't get up. "Raph, I can't do it!" he said. "I'm trying, but I'm too weak!"

"So that's it? You're just gonna sit there like some baby? We've got a city that's bein' invaded by aliens, and you're just gonna sit around and moan about some pain when people are being mutated and forced out of their homes? Do the people in the city mean that little to you, Leo? What about Sensei? Are you just gonna sit there and cry about some leg pain while he's still out there searchin' for us? He's probably worried sick, but instead of you sucking this up and getting over it, you're gonna sit here and cry and make him worry more. Some warrior you are!"

Leo's eyes filled with pain just as they had before, and Raph knew he'd gone overboard again. "Leo, I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Yes, you did!" Leo snapped. "You always do this to me, Raph! How dare you think I don't care about the people of New York? How dare you think I don't care about Sensei? Do you really think I asked for any of this to happen to me? Do you think I LIKE being injured? Do you think I enjoy not being able to walk or even fight right now? You have no idea what I'm going through, and I don't think you care! All you care about is belittling me and making me feel like I'm not worthy to do anything! That's not what brothers do! Brothers support each other and encourage each other!"

"That's what I'm tryin' to do, Leo!" Raph protested.

"No, you're not! You're making me feel like I'm selfish and like I don't care about anything when I do! When are you going to realize that insulting me isn't going to help me get better?"

Raph sighed. "I don't know, Leo. You know how I am. I let my temper get the best of me. I see all these TV shows about people who try and motivate others by givin' them tough love, so that's what I'm doin' to you. It may not be the best way to go about it, but it's the only way I know. I know you're not selfish and that you do care, Leo. I know you want to get better and that's you're frustrated that it's not happening like you want it to. Maybe if you show me how to be better, I can try."

"Okay, I can do that," Leo said. "The first thing you have to do is not be insulting. Instead of berating me, you could try and help me up. Do you think you can do that?"

"Yeah, I can do that," Raph said. He went over to Leo and gently helped his brother to his feet. He set Leo against a tree and picked up Leo's cane, which he handed to his brother.

"Good," Leo praised him. "You did a good job with that, Raph."

"Now what do I do?" Raph asked.

"Try and give me some encouragement without making me feel like I'm worthless. Do you think you can try that?"

Raph nodded. "You're doin' great, Leo. It's okay that you fell 'cause it happens to everybody. But you got back up, so that's a good thing. How's that?"

"Really good, Raph," Leo commented. "You don't have to be like Jillian Michaels to give encouragement. All you have to do is try to be understanding. Think about what it's been like for me and try to understand where I'm coming from."

"I will, Leo," Raph promised. "I'm really sorry."

"That's okay, Raph. Just try to be better, okay?"

"Okay," Raph said. "I'll do my best to make this up to you. You wanna go back?"

"Yeah, we better put some ice on this so it doesn't get worse."

"You got it, bro," Raph said. He helped Leo back to the house and got some ice for him. He felt horrible for the things he'd said, and he really wanted a chance to do better and to help Leo out more. As time passed, he learned to be more patient and understanding of Leo's needs and learned not to go off on him as he had before. He became better at it, and he knew Splinter would be proud of the way he'd changed. He could almost hear Splinter saying, "Well done, Raphael. You have truly improved, and as long as you continue to help your brothers, everything will be fine."

"I'll take care of Leo, Sensei," Raph promised. "You can count on me."

22222

Leo sighed as he put the ice on his knee. Although Raph had apologized for his outburst in the woods, his words still stung. How could Raph think that Leo didn't care about the people of New York or Master Splinter? How could Raph think that he enjoyed being in pain and feeling this way? He knew Raph cared deeply about him and had always known that, yet Raph was letting his temper get the best of him yet again. Why was this? He had already talked to Mikey about it, so maybe it was time for him to talk to someone else. As it turned out, Donnie came to check on him.

"Hey, Leo, Raph said you fell in the woods," he said. "You mind if I check your knee?"

"Not at all," Leo answered. He watched as Don gently checked over his knee, wincing a little when Don touched it.

"I know it hurts, Leo, but at least it's not worse," Don said. "Is everything else okay?"

"Not really. Raph yelled at me when I fell. I tried to get back up, but I couldn't, and Raph accused me of being weak and not caring about Sensei or the people of New York. He said I wasn't a true warrior because of that."

"Did he apologize afterwards?"

"Yeah, but I just don't understand why he would say those things. I know he doesn't mean them."

"It's because he's scared, Leo. He's still scared of losing you, and he's afraid that this injury is going to hold you back and stop you from being the warrior he knows you are. He's afraid that if you don't heal, something worse may happen, and he doesn't want that. That's why he's being so hard on you. It has nothing to do with you. He's just taking his anger out on you instead of taking it out on Shredder since Shredder's not here at the moment. You know Raph is all about tough love and all. That's all he knows, and that's how he deals with his real emotions."

"Okay, so how can I help him with that?"

"Just try not to be angry at him and talk to him. I think if you can do that, it'll be okay."

"Yeah, but you know Raph hates sharing his emotions," Leo pointed out.

"Maybe, but I think he can talk to you better than he can talk to any of us. While you were out, he often talked to you about things. I would hear him talking to you about how he felt and how scared he was that things were going to get worse."

"You didn't barge in on him, did you?"

Don shook his head. "No, but I did listen in on his conversations. I think he's more confident around you and since you're his best friend, he feels he can talk to you about anything. Do you see what I'm saying?"

Leo nodded. "I do, Donnie, and I think I can work this out with him."

"Good. Well, since you're okay, I'm going to go back to the lab and work on some stuff."

"You aren't going to make any more mutagen medicine are you?"

Don smiled. "No, I've had enough of experimenting with that."

"Good because that stuff tasted awful."

Don laughed and left the room to go work on his lab. Not long after, Raph came in which made Leo feel better.

"You okay, bro?" Raph asked him.

"I'm fine, Raph. The question is are YOU okay?"

"I'm great, Leo. Never better."

"I think you might be lying to me. I know you're afraid, Raph, and it's okay to be afraid sometimes."

"I'm not afraid, Leo," Raph denied.

"You are, and that's okay. I know you don't want to show it, so that's why you get angry at me. It's not about me being a bad person or a bad warrior. You're just afraid that something's going to happen to me if I don't get better and you're afraid I won't be a ninja anymore because of it. But you know what? I'm okay with that because even if I can't be a ninja anymore, I'd love for you to take my place as leader. I think you'd be good for it."

"I know, Leo, but I don't want to if I don't have to. I'm sorry I've been a jerk lately, and I'm gonna try my best not to do that anymore. The next time you fall, I'm gonna help you up instead of yellin' at you about it."

"That's all I ask, Raph. And you know that if you need to talk, I'm right here, and I'll keep whatever you have to say to myself and not tell the others."

"Same here, bro."

"Good. You know, I did hear you when I was unconscious."

"You did?"

"Yeah. It was the thing that made me fight my way back to you guys. If you hadn't been talking to me, I probably never would have come back. I was afraid no one cared about me, but hearing your voice made me realize that you did care for me. So thanks for that, Raph. It means more to me than you'll ever know."

"Don't mention it, Leo. I did it because I wanted to and because I do care about you even if you are a pain in the ass sometimes."

Leo laughed. "We're both pains in the ass, but I think that's why we get along so well."

"You're right about that. So are you ready for some food?"

"Sure. Let's eat before Mikey hogs all of the food again."

The two brothers went downstairs, and Leo was filled with happiness. Things would get better between them as long as they talked about it, and that was all he could ask for. Now, all he needed to do was get better so they could go back to the city, find Splinter, and take back New York from the Kraang. Then he would get his revenge on Shredder and all would be well again just as it should be. That was that mattered now.

A/N: So that's the end of this chapter. I hope you guys liked it. Not sure when the next chapter will be up. It'll depend on what I can think of or if another reviewer requests something. I'll be flipping between this story and Pizza Toppings, so if you don't see an update for this one, that's why, but I won't abandon this one until I have it finished. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Breakdown

A/N: My, it's been a long time since I've updated this little tale. My apologies, but other stories got in the way and crowded this one out as they tend to do. However, I was looking over this story and decided it was time to give it a bit of an update. I want to thank all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. Your kind words mean the world to me and I'm really glad you're enjoying this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters are property of Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

Leo was feeling restless and really wished he could train. His knee wasn't better, but Leo was getting tired of not being able to do the things he used to do. Feeling bored, he left the house and arrived at the area where he normally trained. Everyone else had gone to the woods to hike, but Leo had opted to stay home, saying that due to his knee, he just didn't feel like joining them. The others accepted this, and though Raph had offered to stay with him, Leo had vetoed this and had urged Raph to go with the others. Leo was grateful for what Raph was doing, but he really needed some time alone to himself.

He took a deep breath and unsheathed his swords, relishing the sound they made as they came free from their confines. His muscles tensed in anticipation of practicing the moves. Yes, this was just what he needed to feel better. He moved through a series of katas, the moves coming to him as they had when he'd first learned them. He heard Splinter's voice in his head, coaching him through the katas, reminding him to take it slow. So far, everything was fine, and he began to speed up the katas. He could do this. He was going to get better.

Suddenly, his knee gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Leonardo, get up!" he heard Splinter's voice commanding him.

Leo tried, but his knee gave out, and he fell again. "I can't," he said.

"You are a ninja!" chastised Splinter. "A true ninja does not let weakness blind him. Get up!"

Once again, Leo tried to get up, but his knee buckled. He was too weak. He couldn't do it.

"You're so pathetic, Leo!" Raph snarled. "You act like you're so smart, but you can't even get up when you're told to! Some leader you are!"

"Stop it!" Leo snapped. "I am a good leader!"

"I never thought I would see the day when Leo would fail," Don said sadly. "You really are a disappointment. I knew I should have been chosen as the leader. I never would have let this happen."

"That's not true, Donnie," Leo said. "You know you never wanted the job. Stop acting like I've failed you."

"Dude, it's such a bummer," Mikey said with a sigh. "I really looked up to you, Leo. I wanted to be like you, but now I see that you're not the brother I thought you were. I guess I'd better look up to Raph instead."

"Don't say that, Mikey!" Leo begged. "I'm still the brother you think I am. I haven't changed."

"I always knew you were a phony," April laughed. "I could see right through you, Leo. You'll never be a good leader. You should have died in the Technodrome."

"I did that to protect you guys! Please, don't say that!"

"Dude, just face it," Casey piped up. "You suck as a leader. Raph's a way better leader than you are."

"No, he's not! Stop saying that!"

Sinister laughter joined the voices of his family and friends. "You are a fool, Leonardo," Shredder's voice taunted. "You are nothing more than a failure to your family and your friends. You are not fit to lead your clan, and your failure will now be your downfall."

Leo watched helplessly as Shredder vanquished his family one by one. The blue-clad Turtle did his best to stop it, but he was too weak to get up and help his family. He kept calling to them, but they didn't wake up. Then Shredder loomed over him.

"You have failed, Leonardo, and now your family and friends are dead because of you. Now I will finish what I started that night in New York."

"No!" Leo cried. "You stay away from me!"

"There is nothing you can do now, Turtle. You are finished!"

Leo cried out as Shredder's gauntlet came down and his world faded to black.

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The woods were quiet, and it was nice to be outside and roaming them for a change. But something told Raph that they had to get back.

"Guys, I think it's time to head back," he said.

"Do we have to?" whined Mikey.

"We've been gone for a few hours now, and Leo might be getting worried," said April. "He's never been left alone like this."

"He'll be fine, Red," Casey reassured her. "He's probably watching TV or something right now."

"April's right though," Don said. "Leo hasn't been left alone since we got here. I just hope he didn't come after us."

The five of them left the woods and headed for the farmhouse. A cry pierced the silence, and Raph stiffened as he recognized who it was.

"Leo!" he shouted. He took off at a run, not bothering to see if the others were following him. If something had happened to Leo, it was his fault for leaving him alone. He came upon his brother's unconscious form lying in the grass, his swords lying nearby along with his cane. He dropped down to his brother's side, worry filling him. What had happened while they were gone? Had someone attacked him?

The others arrived and gasped at what they saw.

"Spread out," Raph ordered. "Check the area and see if there was anybody here. I'll take Leo back to the house." He gathered his brother in his arms and gently carried him back to the house. Then he came back and retrieved his brother's swords and cane so he wouldn't miss them. Something had happened while they were gone, and if someone had hurt Leo, he was going to make them pay for it. Raph pulled out his T-Phone and dialed Don's number.

"Did you find anything?" Raph asked when his brother picked up.

"No," answered Don. "No sign of anyone here."

"Something must have happened for Leo to pass out like that," Raph mused.

"Maybe he was doing some katas and passed out because he was in pain," Don suggested.

"You might be right, but we won't know until Leo wakes up," Raph said. "Just come back."

Raph checked in with the others and all of them confirmed that there were no signs of anyone having been in the area. Raph wouldn't put it past the Foot to track them down and find them. But why would they attack Leo and just leave without finishing him off?

The others arrived back at the house, and they sat down to discuss what was going on.

"There was no one here, Raph," April reported.

"Are you sure there aren't any neighbors around here, April?" Raph asked her.

"I'm sure, Raph," she replied. "It was always just us when we would come out here."

"Do any other hunters come this way?" Don asked her.

"They might, but I've never seen any. Do you think it's The Finger again?"

"Nah, he was too busy crying over Bigfoot," Mikey answered. "I don't think he'd bother us again."

"And even if he did, Bigfoot would make sure he didn't hurt Leo," Don pointed out. "There are no signs of any visible wounds. I think Leo just collapsed from training too hard."

"But I heard him cry out," Raph insisted.

"He probably hurt his knee again, Raph," Don said. "I'm sure he'll feel guilty once he wakes up because he knows he's not supposed to be training right now."

"It wasn't a cry of pain," Raph said. "It was like someone was trying to hurt him. That's what it sounded like to me."

"Nobody was here, Raph," Casey told him. "I think you're just imagining things."

Raph glared at his friend. "I know what I heard!" he snapped. "Leo sounded like someone was attacking him! When he wakes up, I'm gonna find out who did this, and if someone hurt him again, they're gonna pay!"

The others didn't answer as they knew how Raph was and what he would do. They all retreated while Raph stayed at Leo's side. He was determined to find out who hurt his brother and seek his revenge. He cursed himself for letting Leo stay all alone. How could he have done that? What had he been thinking? He sighed and sat down next to his brother's prone form on the couch, keeping vigil just like he had once before.

22222

Not long after, Raph awoke when Leo began moaning. He jolted up and smiled when he saw Leo's blue eyes staring at him.

"Hey, bro, welcome back," he said. "Are you okay?"

Leo's blue eyes widened as he took in what he was seeing. "Raph? Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me, Leo," Raph answered.

"Am I dead?"

Raph was shocked at the question, but he did his best to remain calm for Leo's sake. "No, you're alive. You just passed out. What happened while we were gone?"

"You can't be alive," Leo protested. "I saw Shredder kill all of you. I tried to help, but I couldn't get to you in time." He hung his head as tears filled his eyes. "I failed you again, Raph. I'm so sorry. I didn't want this to happen."

Raph pulled Leo into an embrace. "Leo, don't say that," he said gently. "You didn't fail us. We're all right here with you. You're gonna be okay. I just need to know what happened out there."

"Are you sure I'm not dead?" Leo asked him.

"Yeah, I'm sure, bro. Here, feel this." He took Leo's hand and put it to his chest. "What do you feel?"

"My heart," Leo answered.

"Yep," Raph said. "Do you believe me now?"

"I guess I do. But then what happened to me?"

"What do you remember, Leo?"

"I remember you guys went to the woods, and I decided to stay home," Leo answered. "I went outside to do some katas because I didn't want to stay inside. I was doing fine until my knee gave out. Then I heard Splinter's voice telling me to get up. I tried, but I couldn't do it. Then Splinter yelled at me, and all of you guys yelled at me, too. Then I saw Shredder, and he killed all of you and was gonna kill me. After that, I don't remember anything."

"That must have been when you blacked out," Raph said. "Did you see anyone around the house?"

Leo shook his head. "No, I didn't see anyone. I guess I must have imagined it."

"Yeah, that makes sense given what you're going through."

"Raph, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Do you think I'm a bad leader?"

Raph sighed. "Of course not, Leo. You're the best leader I know. Is that what I said to you?"

Leo nodded. "All of you said stuff like that to me."

"It was just your mind playin' tricks on you, bro. None of us think that of you, so don't dwell on it, okay?"

Leo started to tremble. "But it was so real, Raph. All of you were so real, and you all sounded so mean. It was like you all hated me and didn't want me around anymore."

"Hey, calm down, bro," Raph soothed. "It wasn't real. We've got your back, Leo, and I'm sure Sensei does, too. He loves you and thinks you're awesome." He smiled a little. "There was one time where I was mad at you, and Splinter talked to me about it. I told him I didn't like how you were so bossy, and he said that you only wanted to protect me. And that time when you left because I was mad at you and said you were the worst leader, do you know what Splinter said to me?"

"What?" Leo asked him.

"He said that now I knew the burden you carried and how it was hard for you. I think in that moment, I realized exactly who you were and what it was like to be you. And when I did, I began to understand you better. You don't nag because you're better than us. You nag because you want to protect us from harm. You carry the burden because you were brave enough to ask for it and you didn't give a reason why. You just asked. And when Splinter gave it to you, you carried it and continue to carry it. I know it's hard, Leo, but you should remember that you don't have to carry it alone. We're here for you, bro. So if you need help with the burden, I'll help you carry it, and so will Mikey, Donnie, April, and Casey. Heck, I'm sure Sensei will help, too. Don't do this alone, Leo."

Leo smiled after Raph was done talking and gave him a hug. "Thanks, Raph," he whispered. "I promise that if the burden gets too heavy, I'll let you know."

"Good," said Raph. "That's the Leo I know. I'll let the others know you're awake."

Leo nodded and waited while Raph reported to the others who came in shortly after that. Don asked Leo a few questions, and Leo answered them honestly and assured everyone he was fine.

"You up for some grub, bro?" Mikey asked.

"That sounds fine, Mikey," Leo answered.

"Cool. Anything in particular?"

"No, whatever you have will be fine."

"This calls for some pizza," Mikey said and hurried to the kitchen to make it.

Leo felt better after his talk with Raph and joined everyone in the kitchen for some pizza. They didn't discuss what had happened but talked about lighter subjects. After their meal was over, they retreated to the living room to watch television until it was time to retire for the night. Leo kept his eyes on the screen, but his mind kept replaying Raph's words. Yes, he didn't need to carry the burden alone anymore. He had others who were willing to help him, and he knew that asking for their help wasn't a sign of weakness. He was still strong, but he was stronger with his family and friends beside him.

"Leo, are you okay?" Raph asked him.

Leo snapped out of his thoughts when he saw everyone was staring at him. "Yeah, I'm good," he said. "I was just thinking."

"About what?" asked Mikey.

"I was thinking about what Raph said about me not carrying the burden alone," replied Leo. "He's right that I have others who are willing to help me carry the burden of being a leader and what has happened to me. I've been through a lot, but all of you have been there for me and supported me through it. I can't repay you enough, and I have to remember that you guys will be there for me when I need you. I'm not alone, and I shouldn't act like everything rests on my shoulders."

"That's deep," commented Casey.

"You're right, Leo," said April. "You're not alone, and you don't need to act like you are. We're here for you whenever you need us. If you need to talk, you can talk to us. Don't bottle everything up inside. My dad told me not to do that because he said your feelings will still be there and will continue to get worse if you bottle them up inside."

"Sensei said the same thing," Leo told her. "And he's right, too."

"He definitely is," agreed April. "And a certain Turtle once told me not to give up hope. You can't give up hope either, Leo. You're going to get better, and we'll be here for you when you heal."

Leo smiled at her words. "Thanks, April," he said. "I'm lucky to have good friends like you guys beside me."

"Yep, you can't get rid of us that easily, bro," Mikey said as he slung an arm about Leo's shoulders.

Leo laughed. "No, I can't get rid of you, Mikey. I'm stuck with you guys, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Group hug!" Mikey announced and everyone crowded in together. After a few moments, they parted and then Mikey began to grin.

"What are you smiling about?" Raph asked.

"Now it's time for a pillow fight!" Mikey yelled and whacked Raph with one of the couch pillows.

"Oh, you are SO going down for that," Raph teased as he tackled the youngest Turtle.

That led to an all -out pillow war and even Leo participated in it, getting in a few hits of his own. Exhausted, all of them collapsed to the floor to rest before retiring for bed.

Leo sighed as he settled into bed. He was definitely a lucky Turtle to have his brothers and their friends by his side. He would remember Raph's words and do his best not to carry the burden alone from now on. But he knew that there were still going to be some struggles ahead for him and obstacles he'd still have to encounter before he was fully healed. He would succeed as long as he had his family by his side. With that last comforting thought, Leo fell asleep and dreamed of the day when they would take back New York and be reunited with their father.

A/N: And that's the end of another chapter. Sorry for the delay, but I kind of hit a wall with this. So what made me come back to it? Listening to Adele's new CD brought back the inspiration. Yes, I'm serious. If you ever have writer's block, listen to Adele. She'll get you out of your funk and help bring you back to your muse. I have a few other muses thanks to her music, so I'll be sure to work on those as well. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Keep on Trying

A/N: I know it has been a long time since I updated this story, but life and other stories happened and I just lost inspiration for it. But now inspiration has struck again so I'm updating this story with a new chapter. I hope that all of you enjoy it. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed thus far. Your kind words and encouragement mean the world to me.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters are property of Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more than that.

Leo woke up, still reeling from the events of the previous day. He knew it wasn't real, but it felt real to him, and he never wanted to feel like that again as long as he lived. He glanced down at his injured knee and knew the only thing he could do was to keep working on it.

He crept out of bed and left the room, careful not to wake up Raph. He went downstairs and out the door as silently as he could. Once outside, he made his way to the woods. They day was nice and sunny and the birds were chirping happily, but Leo paid it no mind. He had work to do. He walked until he reached the creek that Raph had wanted him to cross on his first day of training.

Leo stared at the creek rippling and flowing and the stones that were the bridge. He wasn't sure if he would be able to do this, but he had to try. He had to get better so they could go back and take down the Kraang once and for all.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped onto the first rock with his good leg and then with his bad leg, using his cane to balance. Okay, that wasn't too bad, but now he had to jump to the next stone. He planted his cane and used it to substitute for his bad leg. He made it to the second rock with little difficulty. The third rock was a bit further away, but Leo knew he could do it. He used the same technique as before, but when he went to jump, his bad leg gave out, causing him to lose his balance and fall into the creek.

He went under and came up as the creek started carrying him away. Desperately, he tried to grab onto the rock, but the current was too strong and carried him away before he could do so. Panicking, Leo tried to swim to beat the current, but it was too strong and he was too weak to fight it. What was he going to do now? His brothers didn't even know he had come out here. They would never find him and he probably wouldn't ever see them again.

How could he have been so stupid? He should have waited to get Raph to go with him so if something like this had happened, Raph would have been able to rescue him.

As luck would have it, he spotted a cluster of rocks and grabbed onto the biggest one. He pulled himself up with all of his might and managed to get onto the rock and then onto shore. Breathing heavily, he lay there and thought about what could have happened to him if he hadn't come upon these rocks.

Knowing it was foolish to stay here, he got up and made his way back the way he had come. He was halfway to the farmhouse when he almost ran into Raph.

"Leo, thank goodness you're okay!" Raph said as he gave his brother a hug. "What the shell possessed you to go off like that, and why are you all wet?"

"I was trying to cross the creek and fell in," Leo answered. He began shivering as the cold from the water finally seeped into him. He must have been so determined to reach his goal that he hadn't noticed how cold he was.

"Let's get you home," Raph said gently. He put his arm around his brother and helped him to the house. The others were back and were glad Leo was okay. Donnie checked him over while Mikey put a towel around him and gave him some hot tea.

"Don't ever do that again!" Raph scolded. "You scared the shell out of us!"

Leo hung his head. "Sorry, guys. I just wanted the chance to prove I could get better."

"Well, wait for us the next time you want to do that," Raph told him. "I told you not to do things you can't do."

"But I did do it, Raph. I just fell in after the third rock."

"Then we'll work on that, but someone has to be with you. I don't wanna lose you, Leo. I almost went through that twice now. We all did."

"Well, he seems to be okay for now," Donnie said. "No hypothermia so that's a good thing."

When the others left to go train, Raph stayed with his brother so he wouldn't run off again. "What was this about, bro?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said you did this to prove you could get better. Why did you want to prove that to yourself?"

Leo sighed. "Because ever since I woke up, you guys have been telling me I can't do things. And after what happened yesterday, I just felt like I needed to prove all of those voices and images wrong."

"You're still freaked out about that, huh?" Raph asked softly.

Leo nodded. "Yeah. I just hate being weak and helpless. I want to get back to my old self and go back to the city so we can claim it back."

Raph put an arm around him. "We will, Leo, but healing takes time," he said gently. "Don't push yourself too hard or you'll get worse. Take your time and you will heal just as you should. Sensei wouldn't want you to do this to yourself."

"I know. Do you think he's alive, Raph?"

"I want to believe he is, but I don't know," Raph answered. "I thought you believed he was alive."

"I do, but I wanted to see if you did too."

"Well, I think we should just keep on hoping and see where it goes."

Leo nodded as Raph led him out the door so they could watch the others train for a bit.

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The next day, Leo had a weight on his bad leg and was lifting it up and down to exercise it. It hurt a bit, but he continued to do it so he could get better. After that was done, Raph had him gently bend the knee to stretch it out. This was a bit more painful, but Leo gritted his teeth and did it so they wouldn't think he was weak.

"Good job, bro," Raph praised him.

"Okay, now I want you to try to hop on your right leg," Mikey instructed.

"Why does he need to do that?" Raph asked him.

"Just to see if he can."

Leo tried it, but it was too painful and he almost fell until Raph caught him.

"Okay, that was totally a bad move," Mikey concluded. "Sorry, bro."

"You should be sorry!" Raph lectured. "Leo can't do that yet!"

"Raph, don't be mad at him," Leo said. "Mikey was just trying to help."

Raph grumbled a bit, but then lapsed into silence as they continued a few more exercises before the session was done for the day.

"That was a good session, Leo," Raph said. "We'll have you back to normal in no time."

Leo knew Raph was trying to encourage him, but Leo didn't have the same confidence that Raph did in his recovery. It was taking too long, and the longer they were away from the city, the longer they were away from Splinter and their shot at defeating the Kraang. He hated that he was holding them back. Maybe it would be better for him to stay behind while they went back to defeat the Kraang.

"Leo, what are you thinking about?" asked April.

"I was thinking that maybe it would be best if I stayed behind while you guys went back to the city to defeat the Kraang," answered Leo.

"What?" Raph gasped. "You're nuts, Leo!"

"I'm holding you guys back with this injury. I know you think I'll be up in no time, but I know I won't be getting better anytime soon. We need to stop them, and the best way to do that is to let me stay here while you guys go back. You can come back for me once the city is safe."

"No way," Raph declared. "We're a team and no one gets left behind."

"We need you, Leo," Mikey begged. "You're our leader."

"We can't take the city back without you," Donnie added. "We're a family and we do things together as a family."

"I guess you're right," he said. "Okay, we'll take back the city together."

The brothers engulfed him in a hug and were glad he had decided not to stay behind. They watched some TV together and ate lunch and dinner too. April found some board games and they played them until it was time for bed.

Leo settled into bed and thought about what he had proposed to do. It definitely wasn't fair for him to stay behind, but he didn't want to be a liability to the team either. He would just have to work harder than ever before to get back to where he was so they could go back to New York and reclaim the city they loved the most.

A/N: So glad I finished this chapter though I wish it could have been a bit longer. I think in the next chapter, I'm going to skip to after they defeat the Kraang and continue this from there. Originally, I was going to leave this at the farmhouse and then end it at the point where they went back to take back the city, but I think there might be more potential for this from beyond that point. I just hope I can keep this going for as long as I can. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


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